St. Maarten is a unique island, shared between the Dutch and French. This week Nancy is docking in Philipsburg on the Dutch side.

Philipsburg is a busy port for cruise ships, yet it has managed retains much of its idyllic and pristine beauty. Though small—it takes about one and half hours to get around the island—there’s a great deal for the vacationer to do while disembarked. Take a tour around the island, go shopping at one of Philipsburg’s unique shipwreck shops, or choose from more than 500 duty-free stores. Rent a RHINO watercraft, a motor boat, or a square rigged tall ship.

Lovers of culture will enjoy a hike up to Fort Amsterdam and Fort Willem, or an excursion out to the shipwrecked HMS Proselyte, which sits a mile off the coast.

Enjoy one of the 36 gorgeous beaches, including the attractive Copecoy Bay Beach or the Simpson Bay Beach. One of the island’s most unique features is the Simpson Bay Lagoon, enclosed by a thin strip of land and ideal for water skiing.

Looking for a way to cool off? Check out the St. Maarten Zoological and Botanical Garden, home to ocelots, bush dogs, toucans, owls, boa constrictors, crabs, and snails. Or head down to a beachside bar and try the local treat, Guavaberry Liqueur.

Join us this week as we follow Nancy on her Celebrity Cruise and take a closer look at the ports she’ll be sailing into. Tomorrow: Basseterre, St. Kitts.

Interested in Celebrity Cruises? Looking to vacation on St. Maarten? Contact us, your travel agents at info@wittravel.com or call 503.224.0180.